Anyone have any input on the pros and cons of The Kite Buddy (www.thekitebuddy.com) and The Kite Anchor (www.kiteanchor.com)? They do the exact same thing except the kite buddy costs $65 and the kite anchor cost $40

And yes I do know that I could probably just make one myself for a heck of a lot less. Just curious about the differences and whether or not the kite buddy justifies the large price difference over the kite anchor.

Right now I just use a spare kite leash and wrap it around something fixed like a post or a lifeguard chair and it seems to work just fine

I have used the kite anchor for almost 2 years now and it has never failed. it is easy to screw into the sand and very strong. i had my kite fly up to twelve oclock in 35mph gusts and the anchor stayed in the ground.

my experience with plastic umbrella anchors at the beach has never been that great.

have converted 5 guys at my beach into using these kiteanchors, and one big thing not mentioned is that it saves a lot of wear and tear on the kites. i dont have to worry about pulleys getting stuck or a bridle catching around a wing tip when self launching off of the beach.

I've got a Kite Buddy and don't use it very often. It appears to be shorter than the Kite Anchor, which looks like a standard soil anchor with a handle and leash, available at good hardware stores. The Kite Buddy works well, except it takes forever to screw it into the ground. The soil anchor type (make it yourself) looks like it would be quicker to install (and remove). I've used soil anchors for lots of other applications, and have no doubt they'd work well for kiting in nearly any type of soil except very rocky stuff. If it's rocky, good luck! There are times and places where having a fixed anchor point it super convenient, and there may not be a signpost/lifeguard chair in the best spot. A regular climbing carabiner is plenty strong, and readily available from REI or Erehwon (and lots of others).

Dog leash anchors are dangerous for kiting anchors. They definitely don't hold well enough in soft soils (like sand). I've personally had them pull out and go flying through the air--not a good thing on a crowded beach. It happened to me on a deserted beach, with no harm. Don't use them!